Open sky policy to more Asian cities

The Philippine government’s “pocket open sky” policy allows foreign airlines to have more flights to other international airports outside of Manila or NAIA, in exchange for more flights and seat entitlement by Philippine-based airlines to have more flights to those countries. This is a good move as this will bring in more foreign visitors, traders and investors, the same way that more Filipinos working or visiting or investing abroad will have more choices in their flights. The immediate effect of such open sky policy and airline liberalization and competition policy is a reduction in plane fare as more foreign budget airlines get into the country and Philippine-based budget airlines also penetrate more foreign cities, especially around Asia.

Executive Order (EO) 29 was signed by the President last March to pursue this policy. Asian countries that have availed this renewed policy are Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea. Soon will be Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan.